Blake Oliver started playing the cello when he was young and eventually became a member of the San Francisco Youth Symphony. As a music major at Northwestern University, he was chosen to attend the prestigious Meadowmount School of Music and participate in the Aspen Music Festival. Although he learned that he didn’t care for the life of a professional musician, he now attends concerts regularly and stays in contact with many of his musician friends.
In this episode, Blake and I talk about how he promised himself never to hide any part of himself when he made the decision to go into accounting. He believes that “People are crying out for authenticity in this world. They want to work with people who are who they seem to be.” It’s his music background that gives him the ability to look at a problem and approach it in a new way. As the accounting profession continues to become more automated, it’s the more creative people that are being attracted to make a difference.